Parents of US Activist Seek Israeli Compensation

A court hearing has begun in Israel for an American activist who died after being run over by a bulldozer in 2003.

The parents of Rachel Corrie are seeking at least $300,000 in damages from Israel in their civil suit against the government.

They say Israel has been negligent in its handling of the case.

A small group of people demonstrated on Corrie's behalf Wednesday as the hearing got under way in a Haifa court.

Corrie was an activist with the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement. The 23-year-old was among a group of activists who were acting as human shields in the Gaza Strip to keep Israeli soldiers from bulldozing a Palestinian home.

Corrie sat in front of the bulldozer, but witnesses say the bulldozer continued on - even as other activists shouted for the driver to stop.

The Israeli Army later cleared its soldiers of Corrie's death, saying it was an accident.

Military investigators say the driver of the bulldozer did not see Corrie.

The incident took place during a time in which the Israeli army routinely raided Palestinian towns and refugee camps to search for militants, and demolished the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out attacks on Israelis.